Irish Politics and Social Conflict in the Age of the American Revolution

By Maurice R. O'Connell

Publication Year: 2007

In the midst of great expansion and economic growth in the eighteenth century, Ireland was deeply divided along racial, religious, and economic lines. More than two thirds of the population were Catholic, but nearly all the landowners were Anglican. The minority also comprised practically the entire body of lawyers, officers in the army and navy, and holders of political positions. At the same time, a growing middle class of merchants and manufacturers sought to reform Parliament to gain a real share in the political power monopolized by the aristocracy and landed gentry.

Irish Politics and Social Conflict in the Age of the American Revolution remains one of the few in-depth studies of the effects of the Revolution on Ireland. Focusing on nine important years of Irish history, 1775 to 1783, from the outbreak of war in colonial America to the year following its conclusion, the book details the social and political conditions of a period crucial to the development of Irish nationalism. Drawing extensively on the Dublin press of the time, Maurice R. O'Connell chronicles such important developments as the economic depression in Britain and the Irish movement for free trade, the Catholic Relief Act of 1778, the rise of the Volunteers, the formation of the Patriot group in the Irish Parliament, and the Revolution of 1782.

Cover

Title Page, Copyright

Contents

List of Illustrations

Preface

Despite the appearance of some books and articles on
specialized topics, there has been no general study of Irish history at the time of the American Revolution
since Lecky's A History of Ireland in the Eighteenth
Century. This remarkable work, written about

I. Introdudion

By the middle of the eighteenth century Ireland had
begun to experience a considerable increase in wealth
and population. Dublin and many provincial towns were
growing in size and architectural significance; the erection
of elegant town houses and...

II. Irish Opinion on the American Revolution

In 1772 Townshend was replaced as viceroy by Lord Harcourt who held the position until the end of 1776. The latter's principal achievement lay in inducing the Irish Parliament to support the British government in attempting to suppress the American Revolution. It was a
foregone conclusion that the...

III. The Origins of the Free Trade Crisis

Towards the end of 1777 an economic .depression settled
French entry into the war in March, 1778. There was a
consequent difficulty in borrowing, and the number of
bankruptcies rose in the succeeding twelve months.' No
doubt the Irish economy was affected by the situation in
Britain, but the main cause of the depression in Ireland
was the American Revolutionary War. It practically destroyed
her considerable contraband trade with North
America, while the wartime conditions it imposed...

IV. War with France and the Formation of the Volunteers

In the middle of March, 1778, the Brrtish Government
was officially informed by the French ambassador in London
of the Franco-American treaties of friendship and commerce. This meant war with France. The British Parliament was informed of this positio·n on March and
both Houses immediately passed addresses of loyalty to the
king. The Whigs proposed...

V. The Catholic Relief Act of 1778

During the last decade of the seventeenth, and the early
decades of the eighteenth century, a series of enactments
known as the Penal Laws were passed by the Irish Parliament. The primary purpose of these laws was to place and retain in the hands of (Anglican) Protestants all political,
administrative, and, as far as possible, economic power.
The result was...

Image Plates

VI. The Free Trade Movement

After the conclusion of the parliamentary session of 1777-
1778, the political situation did not return completely
to the calm that normally ensued after the prorogation
of parliament. Nevertheless, most of the excitement
had died down by winter, and the beginning...

VII. The Success of Radicalism

The advisers in the Irish Privy Council had been unanimous
in agreeing on the manner in which the opening
session of the House of Commons should be conducted,
and even the pessimistic Beresford was confident of success.1
When the Speech from the...

VIII. The Assault on Imperial Control

Fresh from their victory on Free Trade, the Patriots
now moved on to their next objective. Their aim-to free
the Irish Parliament from British control and make it
more responsive to Irish public opinion-involved a two-fold
struggle. The first struggle was...

IX. The Collapse of Radicalism

The failure of the Patriots in the case of the Declaratory Act and Poyning's Law was an indication that the
Government was beginning to recover its control of the
legislature. The fact that both measures were opposed by the pro-government members only on ground of expediency,
and not on any admission...

X. Class Conflicts and the Failure of Radicalism in 1780

The collapse of radicalism in 1780 has been recorded
by historians, but they have not attempted to give an
adequate explanation for this surprising reversal of political
trends after the great victory of the Patriots on Free Trade. Bribery has been seen as the main reason for the Government's recovery of control of the Parliament. Undoubtedly
Buckinghamshire's use of rewards...

XI. Carlisle's Quiet Year

During the comparative quiet that followed the hectic spring and summer of 1780, the new viceroy arrived to take over from the exhausted Buckinghamshire.. He was
Frederick (Howard), fifth Earl of Carlisle, a member of
the wealthiest English aristocracy. His home in...

XII. The Revolution of 1782

The Government and the Parliament had failed to take
sufficiently into account the significance of the intense
activity of the Volunteers in 1781. Their manoeuvres could
scarcely fail to stir up radical feeling and indignation with
a legislature which continually gave sweeping majorities
to unpopular measures...

XIII. The Catholic Relief Acts of 1782

In addition to the constitutional issues, the year 1782
was noteworthy for the passing of two acts in favor of
the Catholics. Again, as in 1778, the sponsor was Luke
Gardiner; he was supported by John Dillon, of Lismullen,
Navan, Co. Meath, a member of an...

XIV. Class Conflict and Parliamentary Reform

Once the renunciation issue had been settled and constitutional
independence accepted by all, parliamentary reform became the major topic of political interest. It is an historical truism that the British House of Commons
at this time was archaic and corrupt in its representative
structure; the Irish House was altogether worse...

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